On 7 August 2020 H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand, had a telephone conversation with H.E. U Kyaw Tin, Union Minister for International Cooperation of Myanmar, to discuss matters of mutual interests as Natural Strategic Partners and to strengthen the good and close relations between the two countries.
 

The two Ministers discussed the possibility of reopening existing border trade points of entry and upgrading current trade points of entry to International Border Checkpoints. Both Ministers agreed to pursue these issues through related bilateral frameworks as a means to promote border development and to boost border trade for the benefit of the people of the two countries, especially those affected by COVID-19. 

 

Union Minister H.E. U Kyaw Tin expressed appreciation to the Royal Thai Government for facilitating and allowing Myanmar workers affected by the COVID-19 situation to extend their stay in Thailand to work for two more years until March 2022, and hoped that Thailand would allow Myanmar workers to enter Thailand soon after the COVID-19 situation subsides. The Union Minister also thanked the Thai Government for the assistance extended to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Myanmar, and congratulated Thailand on its success in coping with the pandemic.  

 

On economic aspect, both Ministers shared the view that trade and investment needed to be urgently promoted to mitigate the impact of  COVID-19 on local economies. Both sides agreed to expedite the completion of the two-lane road connecting the Dawei Special Economic Zone with Myanmar-Thailand Border. The Union Minister also extended an invitation for Thai businesses to invest in the new Special Economic Zone in Mon State, which can link Mon State, Tak Province, and Da Nang Province in Viet Nam, through the East-West Economic Corridor (EWEC). Both Ministers also committed to facilitating more investment in both countries. 

 

In addition, both Ministers discussed Thailand's development projects in Rakhine State particularly those proposed in line with the Preliminary Needs Assessment (PNA) recommendations, including the project on the Community Development based on the application of Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP), and the tripartite cooperation projects between Thailand, Myanmar and Japan. They also discussed the possibility to expand such cooperation to other ASEAN dialogue partners.